smalley



B. M. SMALLEY SECONDARY BACK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Jan. 13, 1931.

Original Filed Nov 5, 192A 2 Sheets-Sheet l .i. i i e I 1 e? 2'57? ,6 a Ba'rfm SUSZZQ/ a; $44042 B. M. SMALLEY I SECONDARY RACK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Jan. 13,19 1 I Re. 17,! 3 31 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet Rea-use Jan. .13, 11,931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BURTON MI. ALLEY, OI! CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO JOSLYN MFG. & SUPPLY 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SECONDARY max AND manner or immune rim sans OrlgLnaI'Ro. 1,592,840, dated July 20, 1926, Serial Ho. 747,997, filed November 5, 1824. Application for reissue filed February 24, 1930. Serial No. 431,035.

My invention relates to line hardware and more specifically to a secondary rack and method of making the same.

Incidentally, 'my invention provides the solution of an interesting problem in joinin a post to a sheet which is applicable for otl ier uses than the particular one to which I have applied it. 7

In developing the present rack, I was confronted with the problem of providing first a strong and rigid support upon which wires couldbe mounted and strung through the medium of insulators, and upon which a considerable weight may be put; It is common practice forline men tostand upon devices of this classand such devices must therefore be inherently strong.

- The next desideratum is to make the rack smooth and free from exposed sharp edges or corners. It is the practice in stringing lines to draw wires across devices of this kind, andsuch practice requires the racks to be made so that they will not cause injury to the insulation of the wire or to the wire itself.

Devices of this kind should be made inexpensive because of the quantit required.

- protuberance or drawn boss may I propose to make a rack of this 'nd out of sheet metal, and to this end I have devised a construction and mode of manufacture which are the subject of the present invention.

Preferably, I form a longitudinal'crease or fold in a sheet of metal'of'the desired thickness. Instead of a crease or fold a be femployed instead. The essential idea is side walls adapted to lie tangent to the post,

said side walls being joined by 'a connecting web. This crease or foldis in the form-of an inverted channeL- The crease-0f fold forms a relatively wide ridge, which greatly strengthens the sheet longitudinally, and the sides of this ridge are preferably normal to the plane of the sheet itself, and where the sheet lies flat these sides are preferably vertical and the top ofthe ridgeis pref-- erably substantially horizontal or parallel to the plane of the base. The webor top of the ridge is perforated with rounder The posts are thenlinserted into the holes I with as nice a fit as is convenient for rapid assembly. Then a rivet is passed through the sides of the crease or protuberance and through the hollow'post to draw these'parts together. This rivet results in a drawing together of the sides of the crease and a pressure of the same upon the sides of the post with the result that there is a decrease in the length of the minor axis of the hole with I out any increase of the length of the major axis. In other words, the opening becomes smaller through the down folding of the sides.- The same pressure which collapses the'hole tends to deform the post, and the resultant action is a shortening of the length of the minor axisof the cross section of the post, and at the same time, a tendency to increase the length of the major axis of the cross section of the encies which are brought about bythe pressure of the rivet, result in a complete filling. of the hole by the post through the mere drawing up or tensioning of the rivet. After the post is inplace, it is then sup rted at the edge of the hole and by the nvet in shear,-

and due to the excellent fit which is obtained, a very solid and substantial structure results; I am. aware that each of these tendencies alone operates to secure a .firm fit; forexample, the post mayremain undisturbed and the mere collapsing of the hole about it issufiicient to secure the desired fit, or a 'deforniation of the post without disturbing the sheet might be resortedfto, to secure the desired fit at the edges of the major axis ofthe hole. f

"New, in orderto acquaint those in post. These two tend- Y recta 'vertical side walls 12 the art with the manner of constructing and operating a device according to my invention,

I shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings a specificembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying my invention;

- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view; and

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on'the line Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the base plate before formingand punching;

Fig. 6 is a similarview of the same after it has been creased or formed;

Fi 7 is a fra entary isometric view showing a section o i the base after it is formed and punched; v 1

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bottom art of the post, the samebeing adapted to t into the aperture in the base;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of the base and I r Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of the bottom part of the post.

In the construction of a device such as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, I form the rack of sheet metal, the essential parts being a base 1, shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and one or more s 2lsecured to said base for supporting through insulators, such as shown at 3, one

or'more line wires indicated at 4. The insulatorsmay be mounted as shown upon a common rod 5 passing through the loops or eyes 6 formed in theupper ends of the posts 2, orthe individual may bear separate insulators if so desired. This phase of the invention is optional and I have illustrated merely the preferred form inwhich my invention may appear. The rack is nerally mounted in vertical position, and t e rod 5 is therefore provided with a head 7 and held in place by a cotterpin 8, the insulator 3 being strung between the posts 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

I construct the .base member ofit of a r sheet of metal, such as shown at 9 in Fig. 5. Thissheet may be separately formed or may be formed as'part of a continuous sheet into thebase membei' 10, shown in F 6,, whichconsists of base flanges 11 an acenti-al crease or inverted channel the substantiall an a top wall or we 13 between said side walls 12. The sheet 9 may be creased or grooved, as shown in 'Fig. 6, either by stamping, rolling-or like metal working operation, which is not of the .emence of the present invention. I have secured excellent results by rolling the sheet into the desired channel form. The base flanges 11 are flat and lie in substantiallythe same plane, namely, the original plane of thesheet9. Thetopoftheridgeissubflantially parallel to the base flan es 11, although this art. is referab y slightly crowned both use 0 the ease of manufacture in such shape, and also because of the more convenient colla se of the side walls 12 against thethe sides be described later.

After the base is formed, as shown in Fig.

0 the posts 2, as will 6, it it is then punched to provide, first, the openin wall13,next the rivet holes 14 in the side 11 in the top of the ridge in the walls 12, and also, the slots 16'in the base flanges 11. The slots 16 are adapted to receive bolts, such as are indicated at 17 in Fig. 3, and, if desired, additional holes may be formed as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2, in the top wall 13 of the ridge.

The posts 2 are formed of sheet metal I stri s shaped into channel form and then fol ed to therto form the eyes 6, the end walls or egs 19 of the channels being cut away at the eye 6 'in order to reduce the diameter of the outside of the eye and to make manufacture simpler. The lower parts of the posts are punched to provide holes 20, as

shown in Fig. 8. v

. It will be observed that the post is there- 'by made hollow, and that the shape of the post is substantially the same shape .as the ole 14 into which it fits, and also that the hole and post are generally elli tical in outline. It is not essential that t ey be elliptical in outline,they might be truly circular or approximately circular, but since the device is preferably mounted in a vertical direction, the maximum moment of inertia of the post should be in a vertical direction, that is, in the direction of a length of the ridge to sustain the weight of a lineman step ing upon the same. e posts 2 are introduced into the openings It. as snug'a fit being provided as is permissible for rapid and convenient assembly; rivets 21 and then inserted into the holes and 20, and the rivets are then t. This action of drawin the secures a'novel action which is drawn t' rivets t highly' esirable and which is an important part of my invention. The pressure of the rivet heads is placed upon the side walls 12 of the crease or fold, and this tends to arch up the top wall 18. to a slightly greater extent. In so do' the sides 12 approach each other with t e result that the crosswise or minor axis dimension of the aperture 14 is decreased without any change in the longitudinal dimension or major axis of the opening 14. This action is illustrated in Fi 9 where vthe dotted linesindicate what appens when pressure .is brought ulpon the sidewalls 12-12, as indicated by e arrows P. Now, as soon as the side walls bring pressure upon the flat sidesof. the 2 adjacent therivet holes this inward pressure, as indicated by the arrows P in 10, tend to collapse the sides of the posts towards each other and to push out the ends as indicated by the dottedlines and to press these ends into firm engagement with the edges of the opening 14, as indicated by the arrows M.

It will be noted that the edges of the walls" 19 of the channel are in engagement and pressure upon the sides merely tends to forcetensioning of the rivet 21 secures the big ly' advantageous and complex action above described. The rivet 21 is placed. in shear when any weight is put upon the same, and because of the nice fit and the internal bracing which is secured, the device is very strong for its weight. It will be apparent that the device is inexpensive to manufacture and highly efficient in action. While I have described a hollow post,'I do not intend to limit the invention to a hollow post, although, for the sake of lightness in weight and cheapness in manufacture, and also for the ease of securing the desired collapsing action, a hollow post is desirable.

I do not intend to be limited to the details shown or described, as there may be wide variation in the form, shape and materials embodying the invention. The principle which I have disclosed and the structure which it secures are, I believe,-fundamentally new, and I intend to claim the same broadly.

I claim: a

1. In a device of the class described, a base having an upper longitudinal wall and lower extending flanges in a plane substantially parallel to said upper longitudinal wall and having two substantially parallel longitudinal walls joiningthe edges of the upper wall with the inner edges of the lower flanges, and lying at substantially right angles-to said flanges, said upper wall having Y a hole therethrough of substantially the jull width. of said upper wall, a hollow post lying in said hole and means for drawing said substantially parallel walls together upon the post to cause the post to expand in a direction generally at right angles thereto to cause the post to engage firmly'with the edges of the hole in a direction longitudinal of the upper wall.

, 2..In a device of the class described, a base member having a longitudinal fold therein forming a channel, there being a hole formed in the web of the channel of'substantially the full width of said Web, a hollow post set into said hole, and means for drawing the sides of the channel against each as the web. of t other to expand the post'into engagement with, the edges of the hole.

-3. The method of fastening'a hollow post into a metal sheet which comprises folding the sheet longitudinally to form a gutter of opening in the bottom ofthe gutter to re ceive the post and then compressing the sides of the gutter upon the sides of the post thereby decreasing the width of the opening, simultaneously decreasing .the .corres spending diameter of the post, and simultaneouslyincreasing the diameter of the post in a direction at right angles thereto.

4. The method of fastening a post to a .base member which comprises bending the base member into the form of a longitudinal fold, cutting a hole through the bottom of the fold of substantially the full width thereof and of the size of the ost, collapsing the sides of the fold upon the sides of the post to expand the post into contact with the edges of the hole. 7

5. The method of mounting a hollow post in a transverse hollow base, which comprises cutting a hole in the hollow base of substantially the full width of the interior of the hollow base and collapsing the sides of the hollow base upon the hollow post to bring the sides of thepost into engagement with the edges of the hole by transverse expansion.

sheet metal plate having an invertedlongi-H tudinal utter, the side walls of said gutter being su stantially parallel, there being anoblong' hole throu h the web of the gutter, the hole having su stantially the same width 1e gutter, a hollow sheetmetal post of oblong cross section termed of two cooperating halves or gutter sections and fitting into said hole in the web ofthe gutter, the webs of the gutter sections of which said ,post is constructed lying flat against the side walls ofthe gutter of the plate and a rivet passing through the side walls of the plate and a rivet passing through the side walls of the main gutter and through said webs of the gutter sections and collapsing said parts to the point of bringing the edge of the gutter sections into firm engagement with the ad'acent edges of the hole.

7. In a base comprising a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal walls with a joining wall between them, said joining'wall having a hole therethroug'h of substantially the full width of the joining wall, a hollow tubular post of oblong cross section and rounded corners fitting into said hole and having its longer sides substantially in contact with .the inner surfaces of the parallel walls and a rivet passing through the parallel walls and through the side walls of the post and, drawing the parts firmly together.

roe

evice of the class-described. a i

. the internal width of the post, forming an I 8. In combination a base member havin substantiallv parallel side walls and a we joining said side walls, said web having an of 0 ning of substantially the full wid t e web, a hollow tubularsaid hole in the web and a rivet for drawing the side walls of the base member upon the adjacent side walls of the post to expand the non-adjacent side walls of the post into engagement with the edges of the iole.

, 9. Iii a device of the clas described, a sheet metal base having a longitudinal channel creased therein, there being holes in the web ofthe channel,-hollow tubular fitting the holes, rivets through the sides of the chanme] and through the posts. holding the parts firmly in engagement movement in all directions and a pin passing through the ends of the posts.

j 10. In combination, a sheet having a crease therein formin a channeL-a post projecting through the we of the crease and i tangent to the inner side of the side walls of the crease, and a. tension element extending through the sidewalls of the crease and the 'side walls of the post. v

11. In combination a sheet having an integral lateral fold, and having a holein the top wall of the fold, a post'one end of which-is set in said hole and l ing tangent to the inner side walls of the fol and means for holding said side walls of the fold against the post, said post extending outward of thefold and supported solely at said one end as a cantilever.

12. In combination, a sheet having a crease therein forming an inverted channel, and a.w

post projecting through the top wall of the crease at right angles to the web of the chan nel and being tangent to the inner sides of the side walls 0 the crease, said pat being s'e-' cured to'said side walls below the edges or 14. he method of fitting a into a hole in a sheet which comprises in ding the sheet on parallel lines tangent to a diameter of the hole against the sidesof the post, then pressing said folded parts of the sheet against the sides of the post to compress the post in the line of pressure and to expand it in a direction at substantially right angles to said line of Pr e 15. In a device of the'class described, in

combination, a base having a longitudinal channel therein, there being holes in the web lar said

post at right. angles to said therein forming an of the channel, pods set in said holes and tangent to the walls of said channel, means below said web for holding the parts permanently in engagement against movement in all direcfitting in" tions, and a pin passing through the ends of said posts.

" 16. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a sheet metal base havin a longitudinal channel therein, there being holes in the web of, the channel, hollow tubu-' wal gagement against movement in all directions, an a pin passing through the ends of said 17 In combination, a base comprising a sheet metal late having a longitudinal crease forming a c iannel, the mar us of the late formin mounting flanges, t ere being oles strong the web of said channel, said holes in widt of the channel,."rigid set in said holes and secured to the side walls of the channel to provide cantilever supports for said posts, and a pin threaded through the outer ends of the vposts.

18. In combin "tion, a metal plate having a-lon 'tudinal channel, the marginsof the late orming mounting flanges, there'being oles through the web 01 said channel, rigid posts set in said holes and permanently secured to the channel interiorset in said holes and tangent to the of said channel, means below the said web for holding the parts in permanent en-- of a width substantially equal to the base comprising a 4 thereof to provide cantilever supports for posts, and a pin threaded through the outer ends of the posts. 19. In comhin ation, a sheet having an integral lateral fold formin a-channel, and having a hole in the top We of the fold, a post one end of which is set in said hole and 1 ng tangent to the inner side walls of the old,

and means for holding said side walls of the fold against the 0st, said post extending at substantiall channel am? support solely at said one end as a cantilever.

rig t an les to the web of the 20. In combination, a sheet havin an integral lateral fold, and having a'ho e in the top wall of the fold, a posthaving one end set in said hole and l side walls of the old means for holding 21'. In combination, a sheet havin an intefgral lateral fold, and ha o spaced holes in the top w posts having one end set in said holes and 1 g old, means forholding said side walls of the fold against the post, and a rod removably supported by the other'end of said posts.

22; In combination, a sheet having a crease inverted channel, and a tangent to the inner tangent to the inner sidewalls of the" said side walls of the 01d inst the post, and a rod extendin loosely ough an remoyably supported by the other end of the apurah ofthefol,--

luralit of posts each having one end projbcting hrough the to wall of the crease and being tan cut to e inner sides of the a side walls of t e crease and at substantially right angles to the web of the channel said 5 postsbeing secured at one endto said sidewalls below the edges of said top wall.

23. In combination, a sheet having a crease therein forming an inverted channel, and a plurality of. posts each havin one end projecting through the top wall of t e crease and being tan nt to the inner sides of the side walls of t e crease and at subsequently right angles to the web of the channel, said posts being secured at one end to said side walls below the ed es of said top wall and the opposite ends 0 said posts bein adapted ,to support a rod between them an parallel to the web ofthe channel.

'24. In combination, a sheet having a crease therein forming an inverted channel, and a pluralit of posts projecting through the top wall 0 the crease and bein tangent to the inner sides of the side wa of the M crease and extending atright angles to .the

web of the channel, said posts. bein secured to said side walls below the edges 0 said top wall, and constituting a cantilever support for a rod that extends parallel tothe channel.

25. In combination, a sheet having a crease therein forming an inverted channel,

and a plurality of spaced osts each having one end projecting throng the top wall of the crease and being tangent to the inner sides of the side walls 0 the crease said posts be-. mg secured at one end to sai side walls below the edges of said top wall and the opposite ends of the posts being adapted to support a rod between them.

40 In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1 4th 'da of February 1930.

BUR N SMALLE 

